Carbon Butterfly takes to the skies

In a world with no Superman, a lot of sky-watching conversations go just like that. And it's just not that easy to learn to be a pilot yourself, albeit a little easier than putting your underpants on over your leggings and attempting to fly.

Plantraco is aiming to sate those airborne desires with its new RC plane, the Carbon Butterfly. Yes, there are plenty of model aircraft available, but the Butterfly's unique selling point is the fact that it weighs a very paltry 3.6 grams. Suitable for indoor or outdoor use, the carbon fiber frame is capable of withstanding any number of crashes with no lasting damage. It's also easy to fly, giving owners the option of plugging the remote control handset into their PC and training on the included FMS Flight Simulator software.

Coming in a smart aluminium briefcase, at $299.99 it's expensive, yes, but reasonable compared to other hobby aircraft which can only be used indoors or outdoors. The carbon fiber technology will also save money in the long run - plane repairs can get pricey after you crash land nose down the hundredth time in a conventional RC model.

Plantraco have a couple of videos on their site, which it's well worth watching. The Carbon Butterfly is available to pre-order now.